"Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. Roadside Picnic (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

"Hello, hello, hello." He removed his reproachful gaze from Redrick and
flung himself down on the couch next to him. "You cannot behave that way. Do
you understand me? You cannot!"
"Then arrange meetings in places where I don't know anybody."
"The boy is right," Throaty interjected. "Our mistake. So who was that
man?"
"Richard Noonan. He represents some companies that supply the
institute. He lives here in the hotel."
"You see how simple it is!" Throaty said to Bones. He picked up a
colossal lighter shaped like the Statue of Liberty, looked at it doubtfully,
and replaced it on the table.
"Where's Burbridge," Throaty asked in a friendly tone.
"Burbridge blew it."
The two men exchanged a quick glance.
"Rest in peace," Throaty said tensely. "Or has he been arrested?"
Redrick didn't answer right away, taking slow long drags on his cigarette.
He threw the butt on the floor.
"Don't worry, everything's safe. He's in the hospital."
"That's some safe!" Bones said nervously. He jumped up and went over to
the window. "Which hospital?"
"Don't worry, everything is taken care of. Let's get down to business.
I'm sleepy."
"What hospital specifically?" Bones asked in irritation.
"I've told you," Redrick picked up the briefcase. "Are we doing
business today or not?"
"We are, we are, son," Throaty said heartily.
With unexpected agility he leaped to the Boor, knocked all the
magazines and newspapers from the coffee table, and sat in front of it,
resting his hairy pink hands on his knees.
"Show your stuff."
Redrick opened the briefcase, took out the list with prices, and put it
on the table before Throaty. Throaty glanced at it and flicked it to the
side. Bones stood behind him and started reading the list over his shoulder.
"That's the bill," Redrick said.
"I see. Let's see the stuff," Throaty said.
"The money," Redrick said.
"What's this 'hoop'?" Bones asked suspiciously, pointing at the list
over Throaty's shoulder.
Redrick said nothing. He was holding the open briefcase on his lap and
staring into the blue angelic eyes. Throaty finally chuckled.
"And why do I love you so much, my son?" he muttered. "And they say
love at first sight doesn't exist!" He sighed dramatically.
"Phil, buddy, how do they say it here? Dole out the cabbage, lay some
greenbacks on him ... and give me a match. You see...." He waved his cigar
at him.
Phil the Bones muttered something under his breath, tossed him a book
of matches, and went through a curtain into the next room. Redrick could
hear him talking to someone there, irritated and indistinct, something about
the cat being in the bag, and Throaty, his cigar finally lit, kept staring
at Redrick with a frozen smile on his thin pale lips. Redrick, chin on